Happy 21st Anniversary, BuelahLady

 

Keep Your Hands To Yourself

The family and I got to party with Last Leg at The Jam Hut. Big cookout and I would guess 75 people showed up to celebrate birthdays (including my wife,  BuelahLady, that has a birthday TODAY). I was able to record some of the music and wanted to share at least one song. Yeah, the camera is off a bit and the sound from it is not perfect, but I just had to point out Dr Doug’s skills on lead guitar (he is truly a phenomenal player).

I don’t normally post music videos here, especially two in a row, but I will make an exception today for my ole lady’s B’Day.

A Week Of Celebrations and My First Single Payer Rally

Celebrate? For what, you ask?

Arguably, there is little to celebrate when it comes to the Real State of The Union (or the World, for that matter). So, I take ‘em where I can get ‘em.

Monday was BuelahGirl’s fifth birthday. We had a small get together with family and are going to plan an excursion to the bowling alley with her little friends next weekend.

 

Then Tuesday was Buelahlady’s and my 19th anniversary. We celebrated with BuelahGirl since all the babysitters are sick and I must say that I spent $75 on a meal that I could have made at least 10 times better (for a fraction of the price). I knew I should have cooked for my baby (BuelahLady) instead of going out. At least the Rum and Coke was good.

BTW: I am the chief chef and bottle Washer around here, as well. I would challenge virtually anyone to a “steak off” (or ribs, chops, anything on the grill). I have never eaten a better steak than I can cook myself. Period.

On another note, my birthday is the 31st. We are supposed to go to my hometown to visit with my mom who has recently been diagnosed with Giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. These conditions are debilitating, especially if not treated.

So, how well has her healthcare been? Her Primary doctor never did figure it out and said it was a reaction to Fosamax. However, after 2 MONTHS, they finally got her a visit with a specialist in Huntsville, AL (a 2hour drive one way) who diagnosed her issue and gave her Prednisone (which has already begun to ease her pain).

The point is that healthcare sucks in the SE USA and I suspect that either the rest of the country has good care or you are all a bunch of fools defending a fucked up system.

On top of all of this, my new job has me very busy trying to sell, so I have limited time to post my normal atrocious bleh. So put up with this until I get back from my first Single Payer rally I am attending today in Jackson, TN (I have been asked to speak, but not so sure I will actually get to a mike… but by God, if I do…)

I’ll update later.

PS: to Dawg, Kelso and LoveBabz

Sorry I missed the show the other night. We didn’t get back until much later than I expected. I did listen to it yesterday and wished I could have made it during airing.

Why Am I So Radically Pissed Off?

I am angry for a lot of reasons and for the life of me, I can’t see why more Americans aren’t angry, just as I am. This fuels my ire. But first, this thought came from this exchange Lynda (my cohort) and I had. I thought it a good way to explain some of my situation and give you my point of view from my dire perspective.

Lynda, I am about to embark on a very similar situation after having insured myself (paid 100% since 1996) The premium price has steadily gone up and in the past few years substantially. Also, we have pre-existing conditions between the two of us (BuelahGirl is in pretty good health) that would add to far more per month in meds than our premium.

It is a lose-lose.

BuelahLady has 5 meds she takes from a quack who told her that it is a “guessing game” on how to treat her. Her condition is getting worse and after 2.5 years of a menagerie of drug concoctions, he told her Friday that she probably needed to go into the hospital to “level her out”.

WTF?

We discussed it and she is going to find another doctor (she has to drive 1.5 hours one way to see this quack and others aren’t really any closer). She wants to dose off, so she called the pharmacist and he would not help her, telling her that she should do what the doctor is telling her.

So they have her captured and want more. They have ravaged her body and mind (she is 75# overweight, cannot sleep, and now sort of blanks out for a few seconds every now and then). She is getting “stupid” when she is actually a brilliant person… forgetting shit, etc.

Seriously, as far as finances, I haven’t had an order and no commissions coming, so I am whatever is in the checking account away from losing it (with probably $50K in debt on top of that). I have not paid taxes for last year and have no money to send.

I am going through each and every expense today and see how I can cut back even more. I wouldn’t even pay for an ISP, but it is crucial to my business.

Simply put, we are fucked. I see no way out. My initial profession, engineer, is so damned hard to find a job done here, anywhere near, that I don’t see that as an option. All I know to do is plant one hellacious garden, break out the guns and fishing rods for meat and do the best I can until someone comes to put me in debtors prison.

We are blessed to live in BuelahLady’s father’s rent house and told us to skip the rent until we get our feet back on the ground.

To put this in perspective, 2000 thru 2006 I made over $100K year (having fallen for the American dream of a big house, lifestyle, etc). It is not I who squandered away manufacturing which made that lifestyle possible and considered (at the time) unending. Even the disastrous 2001 was a good year for me financially.

I am such a fool.

Yes, a fool. A fool because I have not been even more vocal about this, since I have seen it coming for so long… hoping for the best, but denying what is apparently inevitable. I have worked hard to shift the focus of automation solutions to markets that were supposedly safe… yet, even those are beginning to seriously decline.

A wise man told me the other day that some of his counterparts in the woodworking machinery business, some strong for many decades are basically bankrupt with no solution. Automotive- DEAD. Even medical and food packaging is slowing. General Industry is dying a slow, torturous death.

So I don’t want to hear any Wheeping Willow, pansy ass, “progressive” wannabe, bitch for an apology about anything I write or think. Disagree, stay the fuck away or do whatever floats your boat, but DO NOT expect an apology for my views and feelings. They are right here, in your face, bountifully pissed off and full of rage. This is what you get, baby (thanks, Mr Steele).

If many of the so called progressives who name themselves that actually acted progressive instead of regressive and owned by the system, change might come. You might even see me calm down a bit. Until then, I feel almost like a lone screaming street corner preacher, warning the world as it falls around your and my feet and so many just walk by oblivious.

And then there is Gene’O crying about not being able to post here or link here in his diatribe against me, apparently in hopes to save his readership and stay in the good graces of “real” bloggers like Digby or whomever. As far as I am concerned, anyone like him, more dedicated to Barack Obama than the constitution can kiss my fat ass. To watch you cowardly fucks capitulate certainly is not patriotic, but complicit in our demise. In other words, you are just as much part of the problem as any right-wing tool is. No real difference in mentality.

I don’t give half a fuck about Digby’s blog (although she appears to be a very nice person) or any other Democratic Party Sycophantic illusion. That is good enough for Gene’O, but it ain’t good enough for me, a REAL progressive. A REAL Liberal.

Gene’O, on a personal note: I don’t let you link or post here anymore because I don’t fucking like you or trust you. It is that simple. You showed your true colors and I’m done with you. I hope I don’t have to tend to so many desparate spam posts by you (6 so far). And this from a guy who must have worshipped me, at least from his comments and invites to post everywhere (now asking everyone to take me off their rolls or apologize for endorsing me). That must really be embarrassing among your sycophantic friends.

It all boils down to this. This blog was set up for a purpose… to counter the right-wing brainwashing. Apparently, I should have said neocon/neoliberal brainwashing (or maybe even the Big Two Party brainwashing… which is little different because it is the “neos” that run them both). For this is what has captured the likes of Gene’O, Kos and Digby and made them into near worthless sycophants of the system. The real issues get little to no attention, while the misdirections get all the attention.

My blog is the opposite. The meanigless things (in perspective) get mention, but little more. I harp on the shit that will change the country and the world. If the other so-called Progressives actually acted progressive and attacked the REAL issues, we might make some headway. But as long as you asslicking, ball cuddlers keep avoiding them just for your moment in the blogosphere sun, NOTHING will get better.

You people are a hindrance to Progress, not a help.

Get that through your fat skulls.

B’Man’s Christmas Wishes: Gifts In The Mail

A Different Kind Of Little Bird

My buddy D-Cup at PoliTits has a great post called Little Bird up today (trying to determine the mathematical probability that two Jews would be shopping at the same Publix in rural Georgia looking for the same customary candles… her hubby, MathMan is the perfect solutions-provider for that**See Note).

The other part was sharing about gifts that she and her family received in the mail… which is the perfect entrée into sharing about the Christmas gifts that we have received in the mail this year (especially since a couple of them came from regular visitors to this blog).

So here’s the deal: I sell equipment for various companies and a couple send me a Christmas gift every year.

This is a regular gift from the same company the last three or four years and is probably the best peanut brittle I ever ate. I am torn, because they used to send a gift package that included different chocolate covered delights (pretzels that were divine) from a Sarris Candies in Pennsylvania (that link takes you to the old gift package and you see the new below… I’m just sayin’. Agreed, that is some good peanut brittle, but compared to the Sarris stuff… let’s just say that the economy is apparently hurting many of us).

LOL

Below are two gifts from the same company (Italian that has a sales office in the US). The first is a can of flat biscotti (which is truly excellent and, no, I don’t read Italian) and the second is a bottle of fine extra virgin olive oil blogged about here. Perhaps someone (like my friend, Kelso’s Nuts) may have some recipe suggestions. The most exquisite cooking oil I ever used was peanut oil to fry catfish in (and I make some of the best you will ever eat, as a matter of fact). So, any help is appreciated.

As you all know, I am a redneck and the people who sent the Italian stuff knows this.

So, I responded with an email that said:

Thanks for the gift package, but I think the wine is ruined. BuelahLady and I drank the whole thing last night (it tasted awful) and I have the runs real bad this morning. Oh yeah, I never did get a buzz.

On another note, the frisbees you sent break very easily, so we can’t use them as you intended.

But it’s the thought that counts…

** I’m jealous that I cannot get my better half to blog (either here or her own place)

Tribute To A Fallen Hero

A True Redneck Watch

This will sound stupid and show how cheap I can be, but I would be remiss if I didn’t give kudos to Timex and this Iron Man watch my wife gave me back in ’89. The watch cost all of $29.99 new and lasted for 10 years (at least) before adding a battery.

The band was replaced two or three times, but I wore the thing every day for almost 20 years.

I must say that this is the best watch I could have ever had and it works extremely well in what I do (time studies for automation and to wake me up when on the road… I have NEVER asked for a wake-up call).

She died over the weekend and I doubt I will try to resurrect it. This will be the proper wake.

So, don’t send me any Rolexs if you feel sad for my loss…

BuelahLady’s Adventure Into Looney World

BuelahLady was sitting in a doctor’s office this afternoon and (of course, it was N MS) they had Fox News on. There was some clip about Bill O’Reilly (BuelahLady hates all things Faux News, but especially the Big Headed fool) and the lady in the couple across from her said, “Bill is such a hero, I wish he would run for president.”

BuelahLady snorted and seriously laughed out loud.

The couple looked at her and the woman shrunk down and didn’t say a word.

My ole lady just looked at them and smiled, but a smile that begged them to “just say something!”.

She’s sweet like that.

You don’t fuck with my ole lady.